TRIFIDjE. 



Larva rather long and not stout, almost cylindrical. Head 

 pale brown or horn-colour, shining; lobes slightly tinged 

 with yellow, mouth darker ; body pale pinkish-grey ; dorsal 

 line pale yellow or bone colour; subdorsal stripes of the 

 same colour, edged on each side by a grey line, and each 

 divided down the middle by a slender pale brown line; 

 spiracular stripe of a dull opaque yellowish-white edged 

 above with grey; dorsal plate horn colour, showing the 

 longitudinal stripes; spiracles small, black; undersurface 

 pinkish-white ; legs very pale brown ; prolegs of the colour 

 of the body. When younger similar, except that the ground 

 colour is greyish-white or yellowish-white. (Described from 

 examples furnished by Dr. F. D. Wheeler.) 



The very young larva is described by Mr. W. H. B. Fletcher 

 as follows : " Fairly stout, head, corselet, and anal plate very 

 pale brown ; body pale yellowish-green ; dorsal, subdorsal, 

 and spiracular lines white; spots small, with very short 

 bristles." When half an inch long, " head and plates pale 

 brown, the former rather darker at the top of the lobes ; 

 the lines broad, white, edged with brown, darker than the 

 general surface of the body; spiracles black; legs and 

 claspers almost colourless." 



Aprd to July on reed {Arundo i^hragmitcs) ; entering at 

 the top of the reed and boring down the heart of the upper, 

 younger portion, gnawing a round hole in the side of the 

 stem between two joints, from which the excrement is cast 

 out, so that the interior is always clean; after eating 

 down a short distance it leaves the plant to enter another 

 and feed in the same manner, and continues this practice 

 until towards full growth, at which time it commences to 

 feed externally at night upon the reed-leaves, though still 

 hiding in the stems during the day. It does not seem to 

 inhabit the great reed-beds, but to prefer reeds of smaller 

 size scattered over the fen, but more especially those sheltered 

 by small trees or bushes. 



